In March 2013, Danius was elected to the Swedish Academy, succeeding Knut Ahnlund on chair 7. Danius was formally installed in the academy at a ceremony on 20 December 2013.[2][3] She took over the post as permanent secretary of the academy from Peter Englund on 1 June 2015.[6][7] She was asked to resign from her position and left the academy on 12 April 2018 against the background of critique over the academy's handling of the Jean-Claude Arnault scandal.[8][9] Two former permanent secretaries, Sture Allén and Horace Engdahl, called Danius a weak leader in her handling of the affair.[10] On February 26, 2019, she officially resigned from her seat at the Swedish Academy.[11]